SAINT JOHN – Apparently, Maxim Kitsyn lives for the Subway Super Series.
The Russian forward, who led the 2009 Super Series in scoring, recorded two goals and added a helper in Russia’s 5-4 upset win over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League All-Stars in Game One of the 2010 Subway Super Series on Monday at Harbour Station.
It was a very entertaining, back-and-forth affair that saw neither team hold a two goal lead at any point in the game. In the end, a slow start to the third period by the QMJHL squad would be costly as Russia scored the game tying and winning goal in the frame.
The Quebec team made it 1-0 at 1:43 of the first period on the power play. An Xavier Ouellet point shot went through a screen and deflected off Nathan Beaulieu’s skate and past Russian netminder Dmitry Shikin.
The visitors would tie the affair at 5:29 when Kitsyn used a fallen ‘Q’ defenseman as a screen in front, beating QMJHL goaltender Olivier Roy upstairs to tie t at 1-1.
After a failed power play attempt by the Canadians, they went to work while shorthanded. Philipp Danault made a sweet play to get around a Russian defenseman and dish the disc over to Nicolas Deslauriers. The Los Angeles Kings prospect chipped the puck over Shikin to make it 2-1 for the home side after one frame.
Shots in the first were 7-4 QMJHL.
Anton Burdasov cut through the crease at 2:20 of the middle period to the tie the match once again.
Just over a minute later at 3:22, Jonathan Huberdeau sent the puck from the corner to Michael Bournival in front who went five-hole to make it 3-2.
At 5:19, the Russians would tie the game once again. Denis Golubev was down low and accepted a pass, beating Roy upstairs to tie it at 3-3.
But the Canadians would have the last say in the second. Alex Saulnier shot the puck on goal from the rim of the faceoff circle but was stopped. He picked up his own rebound and beat Shikin at 9:09 to make it 4-3 QMJHL after two periods.
Shots in the second were 18-17 Russia.
Just 17 seconds into the third, Kitsyn scored his second of the game to make it a 4-4 hockey game by beating Jean-Francois Berube at the side of the goal.
Then at 7:01, the Russians took their first lead of the game. A shot through a screen at the top of the circle found its way through to make it a 5-4 game. Nikita Pivtsakin was credited with the marker.
The Q-league all-stars would have chances to tie the game once again but never could. In the final minute, the home team pulled Berube but could not mount any solid offensive pressure.
Shots in the final stanza were 16-9 QMJHL
Russia went 0/3 on the power play while the QMJHL went 1/5.
NOTES: See Station Nation tomorrow for some sights, sounds, and thoughts on Game One of the Super Series.
NEXT GAME: The Quebec league all-stars travel to Drummondville for a Wednesday night rematch with the Russians.
Photo Credit: Marc Grandmaison
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